Empress Orchid (Empress Orchid, #1) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

May 26, 2011 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, novels, ultimate-reading-list

The author, Amchee Min, was born in Shanghai and came of age in China during the Cultural Revolution, and still visits there regularly. Being able to read Chinese, Min was able to extensively research her period using primary sources. I therefore trusted her depiction of late Ching dynasty China is fairly accurate. This novel is told as the first person account of China's infamous "Dowager Empress," Tzu Hsi aka Red Orchid, who came to the Forbidden City as one of the Emperor's brides when she wa ...more

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Apr 10, 2009 Natalie rated it really liked it

Love this time period and I love an alternate view of history. Maybe Empress Orchid wasn't the horrible power hunger woman the way history has labeled. I like that the book showed her to be a strong woman who did what needed to be done, to protect her country, her dynasty, her son, her husband, all while being "just a woman". ...more

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Jun 16, 2008 Deb rated it liked it

Shelves: non-white-perspectives, historical-fiction, asia-china

A fascinating look at life in Beijing's Forbidden City, as told by one of the empresses. Min has based the book on historical records. All I can say is, it was a very different life... from eunuchs to concubines to beheadings. The main character/narrator is not a character that you warm to, but this gives a more realistic picture. It was survival of the fittest... or the most devious. ...more

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